How can you make your own henna paste?

A:

Quick Answer

To make henna paste at home, you need henna powder, a glass bowl, lemon juice, sugar, essential oils, a plastic sandwich bag and an applicator bottle. This mix creates about 3 ounces of henna paste. Prepare the paste approximately 24 hours before application.

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Mix the henna powder and lemon juice

Begin by adding 20 grams of henna powder to a glass bowl. Then pour ¼ cup of lemon juice into the bowl. The acidity of the lemon juice helps to release the dye molecules.

Stir the paste

Stir the two ingredients until an even consistency is achieved. There should be no powder lumps visible in the paste.

Add essential oil and sugar

Pour 1 ½ teaspoons of sugar into the mixture. The sucrose prevents cracking and drying. Then add 1 ½ teaspoons of essential oils, such as tea tree oil, cajeput oil, revensara oil or lavender oil, which help to darken the color of the paste.

Stir the paste

Continue to stir the paste until it is smooth and silky.

Let the henna paste sit

Cover the glass bowl with plastic wrap, and let it sit for up to 24 hours. The best temperature for henna paste is between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

Use the henna

After 24 hours, the henna paste should be dark, creamy and ready to use.